The invention relates to check cashing.
At present, a substantial portion of the working population does not have a bank account and, for this reason, lacks access to a bank for purposes of cashing paychecks. A number of companies provide check cashing services to this portion of the population.
In some instances, check cashing services are provided from a bullet-proof enclosure. An employee within the enclosure determines whether to cash a customer's paycheck by referencing a computer database that includes information about the customer (“the payee”) and the customer's employer (“the payor”). The employee also may contact the payor's bank in some circumstances. If the employee decides to cash the paycheck, the employee collects an appropriate amount of cash from a cash drawer within the enclosure and provides the cash to the customer.
In other instances, check cashing services are provided by an employee using a computer that is connected to a cash-dispensing machine. The employee determines whether to cash the customer's paycheck in the manner described above. If the employee decides to cash the check, the employee uses the computer to cause the cash-dispensing machine to dispense an appropriate amount of cash. The employee then provides the cash to the customer. Security provided by the cash-dispensing machine reduces the risk of theft and permits elimination of the bullet-proof enclosure.